Arcade fever: Economics, affect and interface design of the 1970s and 1980s video arcade

Abstract How is it that the paradigm shift from mechanical to video-based arcade gaming has created a loyal video game following that holds true today? This article will explore the historical development of video arcade games, their instantaneous popularity and their continued presence in the world of contemporary gaming. In reading the affective experience of gaming through the lens of actor-network-theory (ANT), a number of factors can be specified for the popularity of nostalgic gaming: the affective design of interface, the emergent symbols of the arcade game, the spectacular nature of play, the mastery of a game (maximizing play per dollar spent), and the affective potential of precognitive actions and its relation to nostalgia. This leads to the conclusion that all these factors co-produce a wholly novel experience particular to the network of the arcade.